Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Kentucky Center Expands to Include Autism Services

scottie — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

Growing Minds Learning Center has added autism therapies to its offerings.

Body:

Growing Minds Learning Center has added autism therapies to its offerings. The Kentucky-based center has been open since 2009, but has just added applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapies for kids with autism. They offer a pre-school program and a one-on-one clinical area for autism. Each family works with Growing Minds to find the best way to treat their child. A local activity center for special needs, Puzzle Pieces, is also involved in therapies at Growing Minds.

Original Article:

Growing Minds Learning Center Expands Services to Include Autism Care

Start an Autism Pre-School in Your Home

scottie — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

A mom wrote this article about starting a home pre-school program for her son with sensory processing disorder.

Body:

A mom wrote this article about starting a home pre-school program for her son with sensory processing disorder, but this would work for a child with autism who might not be ready for a classroom situation. She explained that almost everything needed for a curriculum can be found online, but she offered some low cost suggestions as well. She divided her child’s school time by letters of the alphabet. For example, the first week her child studied the letter “w” for weather. She was able to incorporate writing skills, speech, descriptions, feelings of hot and cold, sunny and cloudy, and math. She stated, “My goal is to as closely as possible resemble what he will be expected to do in a future classroom setting which will also help with the transition when he is finally eligible to go to school!”

Original Article:

Homemade Preschool

School Expands to Help Kids with Autism Beyond Their Student Years

scottie — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

The Monarch School in Houston Texas has broadened its scope for serving kids with autism and other developmental disorders.

Body:

The Monarch School in Houston Texas has broadened its scope for serving kids with autism and other developmental disorders. Monarch serves students from pre-K through high school, but has added a post-graduate program to help older kids find jobs, transition to college, and live more independently in a group home setting. Monarch hopes this will help address the under and unemployment of many young adults with autism. Much of the problem has stemmed from students not being prepared to transition from school. Linda Holloway at the University of North Texas, explained, “We talk about this black hole after graduation. Too many young adults don't know about the resources out there.”

Original Article:

Support Beyond School: Faculty Expands Services for People with Autism

Organization Prepares Kids with Down Syndrome and Autism for Life Beyond Kindergarten

scottie — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

The ACDS knew that their work with kids with Down syndrome enabled them to help kids with other special needs.

Body:

The Association for Children with Down Syndrome/Lifetime Service for Individuals with Special Needs (ACDS) knew that their work with kids with Down enabled them to help kids with other special needs. Many kids with Down syndrome also are diagnosed with autism. They have increased their programming to help kids prepare not only for kindergarten, but for the grades and life to follow. Michael Smith, executive director of ACDS, said, “The very nature of Down syndrome made it feasible for the school to serve other populations. The different kinds of challenges presented by the disorder are so vast, working with a Down syndrome population has trained the ACDS staff to deal with all sorts of issues.” ACDS focuses on early intervention and Preschool preparation. Classrooms are filled with special needs kids and neurotypical kids; the kids have learned well together. The school looks typical, but is very visual and contains a sensory gym, and iPads have been recently added to improve communication and social skills.

Original Article:

ACDS Prepares Students for Kindergarten and Life Beyond

St. Kitts/Nevis Federation Hopeful About Autism Early Intervention Center

scottie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:19:19 +0000

Teaser:

The Ministry of Education on St. Kitts, with funding UNESCO, held an autism training workshop.

Body:

The Ministry of Education on St. Kitts, with UNESCO funding, held an autism training workshop. For two days, preschool teachers, special education professionals, day care supervisors, and nurses learned about recognizing early signs of autism in children. The Principal at the Special Education Unit on Nevis, Mrs. Violet Clarke, hopes this education results in an early intervention center. “The centre will be set up as a demonstration environment to provide training for parents, nurses, preschool providers and teachers. Children will have the opportunity to be screened and receive intervention programmes designed by a multi professional team,” she explained. The focus therapies for the children will be speech and occupational therapies in order to best increase social and communication skills. Clarke hopes this goal will prompt different governmental and educational agencies to work together, sharing knowledge and funding.

Original Article:

UNESCO Workshop on Nevis Draws Attention to Federation's Children with Autism

Speech Clinic Teaches Life Skills to Kids with Autism from Childhood Through Young Adulthood

scottie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:17:59 +0000

Teaser:

Speech Therapy Associates is a California location where kids with autism are served from preschool through high school.

Body:

Speech Therapy Associates is a California location where kids with autism are served from preschool through high school. They believe that communication is a crucial life skill for kids to adapt. They also understand that skills a child with autism gains at the middle school age may need to be updated when the youngster transitions to the workforce. The clinic offers several levels of therapy: Building Blocks is for 18 months to 5 years and focuses on language and social skills; Circle of Friends is a social group where children learn turn-taking and social skills; and Building Connections is for teens and young adults to learn transition skills into a college or work situation.

Original Article:

Students with Autism Learn Life Skills in Lodi

Easter Seals Opens New Pre-School in Illinois for Children with Autism

scottie — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:19:26 +0000

Teaser:

Easter Seals in Peoria opened a pre-school for children with autism.

Body:

Easter Seals in Peoria opened a pre-school for children with autism. The Intensive Therapeutic Autism Program will focus on applied behavior analysis (ABA) and DIR/Floortime. This “bridge” to kindergarten will help kids increase academically, behaviorally, socially, and emotionally. The 3-hour-a-day, 2-day-a-week program is designed to complement current early intervention services. The class team includes an early childhood educator, speech therapist, occupational therapist, a certified ABA therapist, and several aides.

Original Article:

Easter Seals to Provide Pre-School for Kids with Autism

Listening Therapy Center Opens in the Philippines

scottie — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:28:10 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Gina Diaz-Cembrano recently opened the I Listen Enhancement Center for Maximum Learning in the Philippines.

Body:

Dr. Gina Diaz-Cembrano recently opened the I Listen Enhancement Center for Maximum Learning in the Philippines. Although a dentist by training, Gina felt teaching preschool was a better way to help families who had children with autism and other developmental issues such as ADHD. The center uses the Tomatis Method. Gina explains, “The Tomatis method re-trains the listening system by using electronically modified music and language to re-educate, stimulate and improve the way in which we process auditory information.” Children with learning disabilities often have difficulty in communication and social interaction, the Tomatis methods attempts to increase listening skills, communication, and memory and attention. Gina has seen that Tomatis worked well with other therapies including occupational therapy, sensory integration, and speech therapy.

Original Article:

All Ears for the Tomatis Method

Welcome Home is a Preschool Program for Children with Autism

scottie — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:27:47 +0000

Teaser:

Welcome Home is a preschool program in New Jersey for kids with autism.

Body:

Welcome Home is a preschool program in New Jersey for kids with autism. Children can choose between morning or afternoon classes, which will be held at the Glenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center. The program is a way to keep children with special needs in the school district without spending funds to send them to other districts for academics and therapies. Plus the kids are more comfortable in their own community. Melanie Terreri, a certified special ed teacher, will lead Welcome Home with skills she learned at Y.A.L.E. School. Her focus will be on individualized communication and socialization. Each child will have a one-on-one aide as they go through the day with group activities as well as individual therapies. Parents will be trained in applied behavior analysis (ABA) so that therapy can be used at home.

Original Article:

New Preschool Program Caters to Autistic Children in Washington County

School for Autism Graduates its First Senior

scottie — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:37:04 +0000

Teaser:

The Comprehensive Learning Center (CLC) in Pennsylvania recently graduated its first senior, AJ Corless.

Body:

The Comprehensive Learning Center (CLC) in Pennsylvania recently graduated its first senior, AJ Corless. The school opened in 2000 and serves 24 students Pre-K through 12th grade. AJ was diagnosed with severe autism when he was three, but his mother refused to let him be held back. She founded the AJ Foundation and then the school. CLC’s curriculum includes “expressive and receptive communication, social interaction, play, and self-help skills”. Therapists use a form of ABA to work with the children; they also make home visits for continuity of treatment. AJ plays the piano, irons his own clothes, works two part-time jobs and is about to start a third where he will use his math skills.

Original Article:

School for Students with Autism Graduates First Student